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Last week, I took the babies to their 8 week checkup. River came along and was such a big helper. Everything was perfect. They are perfect. And I am lucky! I am lucky that things are so good. I am lucky that my two newborn babies are so healthy and happy and growing! I am lucky that all my other children are healthy and happy. It sounds so cliche, but it is so true.

The other day I went out with my friend for lunch. I couldn’t wait to talk to a friend. For some reason, I told her I wasn’t lucky…..that things hadn’t been going my way lately. I was thinking about the little things……all the little, silly, insignificant things…that seemed to be piling up and turning into big things. She reminded me how wrong I was..how lucky I am……how INCREDIBLY lucky I am. And she is right. I am lucky. very lucky.

Today’s Embrace the Camera is all about…..relaxing….breathing…..not an easy thing to do for me…….especially now that I have two 7 week old babies! Somebody is always needing something…and I never get to get anything done…completely….I’m always being interrupted…….but I’m learning…that it is okay…not to finish everything..when I want to…..Normally I want to get everything done right away..I don’t like waiting! I like to have everything neat and tidy!!!

I’m also trying to move around a bit more..literally….I have everything I need set up in the bedroom…and that was great for the first few weeks…..and it is easy to spend the day there…..squirreled away….but I get bored..River gets bored…and the babies get bored…so I am trying to learn to bring the babies with me..as I do things around the house. This makes things a lot harder, and it makes things take longer, and it doesn’t always have the outcome I’m hoping for…but I think it makes everyone a bit happier….

I’m also trying to learn that it is okay if a baby cries for a minute or two….just so I can go to the bathroom or throw some clothes into the laundry! It seems that as soon as I leave their side..someone starts crying…VERY LOUDLY…..as though I’ve left them for hours and hours! Hearing a baby cry cuts right through me….

Anyway..that is what today’s Embrace the Camera is about….hanging out in the kitchen..with the babies…..when I haven’t showered and so many things need to be done……(and for once holding Escher….you can barely see little Grey..in her bouncy seat..)

This time around I decided to make my own diapers…..and of course, I should have started making them a long time ago! I had never made a diaper before, so it took me awhile to decide on a pattern and style. I used the pattern and a lot of the information from the Cloth Revolution Diaper Pattern. But I felt I needed a little more detail on the actual sewing, so I found some different instructions at Dianna’s Journal. I wanted to make the diapers as cheaply as possibly, so I’ve been using mostly old t shirts and old flannel sheets.

There are so many different type of cloth diapers out there..it was hard to make a decision about what style to make, what materials to use, whether or not to use snaps or velcro…..it becomes mind boggling. I decided to make the newborn size and I hope they fit nicely and that they will fit for awhile!!

But they did agree that the solid bunnies are just as delicious as the hollow bunnies……

After taking the photos and going through the pictures..I couldn’t believe how many times River and Tuesday had almost the same expression……it was really funny. I don’t remember that ever happening before.

Last Friday it was 76 degrees here! Absolutely gorgeous…we just had to go out to the park! We had a great time at the playground and then walking around the woods…..We felt like Spring had arrived…but it hadn’t…..yet, this week it has arrived..but it is freezing out again! Oh well…we enjoyed it while we had it!

I love watching the drawing development in my children as they get older. River is definitely in that pre-schematic stage. Her drawings have gotten more complex. And I love how her latest “thing” is that she adds a little bit of cloth or paper scrap to all her drawings. And she loves to describe the drawings to me in great detail. Usually, she makes me write everything she says right on the paper. ..though for these..she let me skip that!

For this week’s Embrace the Camera…I’m going to talk about my obsession with my Facebook profile picture. Every month I spend hours getting a new picture just right……I am addicted to my theme….I always take the same picture…my right eye with some type of object.

I refuse to use any other type of picture for my profile picture…..all month I think about what object might be just right to use for my next photo.

It is a fun little way to express myself. I think it is interesting how people choose to represent themselves through their Facebook profile picture. Some people seem to take a lot of time thinking about their photos, some people seem to not care what their photo is….some people change their photo constantly, while others never change it. I change my photo every month…I try to do it on the first…but it doesn’t always work out that way. What about you…..do you change your Facebook profile photo often? Do you spend a lot of time thinking about your Facebook profile photo? Do you even use Facebook?

Another Christmas tradition around here is getting out the Christmas books…and books are a big deal around here. We used to have everyone pick out a Christmas book to buy every year..but then we just got too many books.

Everyone has their favorite book and loves to be the first one to read it…..especially to River…oh, and to the cat.

I try to tell River that she has to read every book at least once..but before we start re-reading them. That doesn’t always stick!

I love taking photos of my children when they first wake up……it is one of my favorite times to photograph River. Especially if I get her to tell me a story about one of her dreams…..the expressions that I capture are priceless….especially because her stories go on and on and on..it is a great way to get her to not make goofy expressions the whole time I’m taking pictures..which is what she does anymore..when I take out the camera…..so here are a few good shots that I got the other morning…….

Also, check out the Water for Christmas Etsy shop……one of my woolies is up for sale….All proceeds from items sold on this shop go directly to building fresh water wells in Liberia, West Africa.

To learn more about Water for Christmas, visit www.water4christmas.com.